Texas House passes restrictive abortion measure

Texas House passes restrictive abortion measure

The Texas House of Representatives approved a measure Wednesday that would place broad new restrictions on abortions in the state.

A state Senate committee is scheduled to vote Thursday on whether to send its version of the bill to the full Senate.

The legislation would ban abortions past 20 weeks of gestation, require abortion clinics to become ambulatory surgical centers, tighten usage guidelines for the drug RU486 and require doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the clinic at which they're providing abortion services.

The House's move comes two weeks after state Sen. Wendy Davis tried to block the bill with a filibuster, talking for more than 10 hours in an attempt to run out the clock on the legislative session.

Gov. Rick Perry called a special session so the legislature could take up the measure again.

It makes you wonder by rep Villalba needs to fight so incredibly hard for legislation to compel his own wife to give birth to his son. Perhaps Mrs Villalba knows something more about Mr Villalba that we’re only glimpsing at present.

Also the use of the sonogram is interesting. Presumably daughterograms will be less relevant as evidence for anti-abortion purposes.

More evidence for the obsolescence of representative democracy. And there’s no longer any excuse for it. The technology is here now; has been for awhile. If we can pay our taxes online then there’s no reason the whole voting population can’t vote on every damn item that comes down the pike.